


WORK IN PROGRESS

by JumbledThoughts



Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-31 11:03:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18589957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JumbledThoughts/pseuds/JumbledThoughts
Summary: VERY ROUGH DRAFT





	1. I’ve Got It Bad

**Author's Note:**

> VERY VERY ROUGH DRAFT

Lifting heavy eyelids he stared hazily up at blurry surroundings as he wait for the grogginess to wear off, the ceiling slowly comes into focus. This is the problem with a modern designed condos. Everything is too simplistic; there isn't any, warmth. That homey feeling you're supposed to feel. Maybe he needed to redecorate this place, possibly hire an interior decorator or something. Arching his back in a long morning stretch, he steadily sat up and swung his legs off the side of the bed. The cool air hits his skin immediately. A tired groan escapes as he rubs his eyes. Then running his hands through disheveled blond hair and short nails along his scalp that sent a shiver down his spine.  
"Forgot to put the heat on last night again, I see." Craning his head to look over, his eyes settle on the woman leaning in the bedroom doorway sipping on her cup of Earl Grey tea. Her waist-long, pin-straight brunette hair is pulled to rest over her right shoulder. She crossed one arm across the waist of her white button up work shirt that was paired with a black pencil skirt that ended mid-thigh. She wore black tights, and as his eyes traveled they led to 3-inch, black heels. "I've told you before, but you don't listen. Big surprise there," she says as she takes another sip of her tea.  
"Well good morning to you too," he grumble out as he stand up heading toward the kitchen.  
"Maybe, if you wore more than your boxers to bed during the winter, you'd be warmer," she says to him as he makes his way past her into the kitchen where the beeping of the coffee maker reminds him that, yes, there is a faint scent of heaven. After pouring himself a mug-adding enough cream and probably one too many sugars - he walks along the icy tiled hallway and plop down on the inviting couch. Settling myself in place, he bring the cup up to his lips to take a long sip of the warm beverage. The sweet coffee fills his mouth and the hot beverage begins to warm up his body from the cold January weather.  
"I wish we could get some fog or at least some rain, this cloudless weather and icy wind is such a bother," he mumble to no one in particular as he turn to look out the large glass window that shows a breathtaking view of the park from my balcony. It's been a cloudless sky for the last month or so. While taking intermittent sips of his coffee he continues to let his mind wander. With the sun not blocked behind thick clouds, it's warm, but the icy breeze is incredibly unpleasant. Gazing out he get lost in the peacefulness of the view.  
"You're 26, you really oughta do something productive on your days off. You're not going to accomplish anything by slumping about the house." He turns his attention from the view to send a glare to the person lounging in the chair across the wide living room, "that glare doesn't scare me whatsoever, you of all people should know that." she says with a smirk as she takes another sip of her tea.  
"Jesus, at least let the coffee get in my system Kyu, I don't have the energy to deal with your lovingly pessimistic attitude right now, not when it's so early," he groaned as he ran his hand through his unruly blonde bedhead.  
"It's 7:30 am," she says, as if that should be a reason in itself. Setting his coffee mug on the dark mahogany table he lets his head fall back and stares at the soft grey ceiling.  
"I swear," he grumbles as he puts his head in my hands, "so, whats the week looking like?"  
"It's already Friday, but you're free until Sunday. All of next week is piled up for you at the office. Monday there are final plans that need your signing off on. Plus your father needs you in on a meeting on Friday for company negotiations with a merger, then Saturday for the fundraiser."  
"Suit or Tux."  
"Tux. It will be in your office closet Thursday afternoon after your 5:30 meeting with the developers. "  
"Roger that, thank you Kyu." Sitting up from the couch, he picks up his mug and heads back into his bedroom to get ready for the day. Setting his coffee on one of the tables he opens his walk in closet to throw together an outfit to brace the cold. The sound of the front door opening and shutting echos from the hallway.  
Kyu has been my personal assistant since he first started working at his father's company. Full name, Kyūbi Ōtsutsuki. She's worked for one of the japanese companies that they merged with. His father, Minato Uzumaki, assigned her to him when he was 19 and she was 21. There was quite a, rough path the first few months, but after a while they became really close, she kind of took the form of the older sister he never had. And she'd been with him since then and at his request, not with him everywhere.  
He pull out a pair of worn but fitted black jeans, white short sleeve and a soft grey sweater with beige elbow patches. He might look for a scarf that matches when he gets out of the shower. With all of the clothes thrown onto the bed, he walks into his attached bathroom. Leaving the door open is never an issue, being he lived alone and didn't have friends that visited. He moved out when he was 18 and his dad got him this place. He started to work for the company at 19. It gets lonely from time to time but, all in all, he’d gotten used to it. His father always worked when he was younger. So it was just his mother and him. His dad started a company with his friend from college, Kakashi Hatake, and became quite successful with it. Climbing to the top of the charts of one of if not the most successful companies in the country. Naruto had money in a trust for him to live on my own with, plus money from the company that continues to refill it. Long story short, he’s well off. That doesn't stop him from working hard, not letting the money and fame get to his head. It certainly helps when when have amazing parents. He still sees his dad every once in a while. But working the company puts a strain on his schedule, so he doesn’t get to see him quite so often.  
After taking a nice, long, hot shower to wash away the grogginess of the morning, he brushes his teeth, blow dries his hair, and gets dressed. Finishing off his coffee and sit on the end of his bed. He gazes out the huge plate glass window that overviews the park and part of the city.  
'I'm going to take a walk. Haven't properly explored the area.' He decide as he got up from the bed, and walk back through the living room, drop the empty coffee mug in the kitchen sink and head over to the hallway before the front door. He slip on some dark brown leather lace up boots and shrug on a thick forest green jacket before picking up my brown messenger bag and slinging it over my shoulder. I pick my keys up from the hook by the door, check to make sure my phone and wallet are on me, 'check', I head out, lock up, and walk down the pathway alongside my garage. Pulling out my earphones, I plug them into my phone and play some music to distract myself from my thoughts as I make my way into crowded downtown. Putting my playlist on shuffle 'Creep in a T-Shirt' by Portugal. The Man pumps into my ears.  
Tucking my blue crystal necklace under my sweater I make my way down the crowded sidewalk. When you live in a crowded area of a city you pass a variety of people. From people in business suits heading to their big board meetings to errand employees speeding in and out of the dense crowd with messenger bags jammed full of files and paperwork, poor kids. Students running to catch buses and trains, joggers, dog walkers. The city is buzzing with life and movement.  
The music drowns out the cars, commotion, constructions, and conversations. Noise pollution.  
The extreme number of people in such close proximity to me is starting to make me uneasy. Why did I choose to live in a highly populated city? It's where I grew up with my parents.  
To evade the masses of people pummeling me as I try to walk, I cut down a small street and just walk and walk.  
'Hmm, never been down here before' I pass by small shops. Some antique shops, some clothing shops, etc. 'strange how you can live in a city for all your life and have not been everywhere in it. This just shows I should walk around a bit more', after passing a few places I come across a bookstore. From the look of it it's been here a long time. Walking inside, there is a new additions shelf along with the most popular sales. Recognizing a few titles, but none of interest I continue my way in. It's an ornate little book store, the genres are in different corners of the shop with aisles holding them alphabetically. Striding my way from section to section, nothing so far catches my interest. Too preoccupied with looking through the fictional books, I do not register the person making their way down the aisle in my direction.  
"Can I help you find anything today sir?" The figure says, successfully catching my attention. Turning around I register that it is a kid. He looks a bit younger than myself. He stares at me with a bored like expression that suddenly changes into surprise. He's cute.  
"No, thank you though. I'm just browsing through," I say as I give him a sincere smile. He fidgets a bit with the sleeves of his dark blue sweater and brushes his hand through his bangs that are covering most of his eyes. They're very dark.  
"Ok," he looks back up to meet my eyes, with the help of the lights in the aisle I'm able to tell that they are a shade of very dark brown. "If you need anything, I'll..um..be at the counter up front or walking around putting things away."  
I give a small chuckle "Ok, thank you, much appreciated" I say with another smile and a nod. He looks at me again for a minute. As he looks away, a small blush appears on his cheeks. He walks back to the counter, taking one last look over his shoulder as he continues on his way out of sight. I chuckle a bit to myself, as I mull over what happened whilst looking for anything that catches my eye. Nothing so far. I make my way down a few more aisles, trying to get a closer range of vision on the occupant at the counter. He looks to be around the age of 18 or 19, maybe he's working here as a part time to pay for school or just for some extra cash.  
'So, it's come to ogling teenagers now', Christ. 'He's cute, you haven't given anyone a second glance in long time'. Sighing, I turn my attention back to the the books in front of me. While looking about through the aisles of novels, biographies, autobiographies, and mystery novels, every once in a while I would sense a presence. Looking over my shoulder every once in a while, I'd catch a glimpse of swift movement at the end of the walkway. Chuckling and brushing it off, I continue on with my business. There is something mind numbing about being in a books store. The many bookshelves filled with the stories of people, be it real or not. Sadly, nothing today I guess, not too much of loss. Making my way up to the front of the store to the exit, out of the corner of my eye, I can see the kid stumble to hide the fact that he wasn't just watching me.  
"Did you find anything today, sir?" he says politely as I make my way to the front.  
"Nothing of interest," he gives me a smile that shows a little disappointment. “Maybe next time though." I say with a bright smile. He is a bit taken back at the thought of another possible meeting.  
"See ya," I say as I leave the store with a smile and a wave. I hear a pleasant 'goodbye, come again!' from inside the store and chuckle again to myself. I smirk and continue to make my way down the sidewalk as the wind blows a particularly icy breeze.  
Walking through the park is short but nice. It's good to know the shortcuts in the park, with it being so huge and all. With the leaves of the trees gone there is a clear view of the sky, 'I might take a walk through here tonight. Maybe I'll even see a few stars, if I'm lucky.'  
It's highly doubtful though, with all this light pollution it's a miracle you can see any stars at night at all. But, it's always nice to hope. Parents and nannies run by with children. A mom in particular has her poor four year old looking like he's ready to brace the arctic circle. I chuckle as the little guy waddles like a penguin, trying to divert his mother's attention to a squirrel he sees running up one of the park trees. Staring longingly at the kid I keep walking, pushing the thought to the back of my mind as I can see the exit of the park ahead. The thought resurfaces for a brief moment, I pull my phone out of my jacket pocket, scroll through the contacts and press talk pulling it up to my ear. It rings and the voice answers.  
"Yes Naruto?"  
"Kyu, what are my plans for Sunday?" I say as I see the mother looking over to where her son is pointing enthusiastically. I hear the clicking of a computer keyboard over the phone.  
"Your weekend is free, remember. Why?"  
"Oh right, I'm putting in an appointment." I say into the phone  
"Sure thing," with more clicking in the background she comes back on, "should I set up for a car to take you there?"  
"Yes. Have it pick me up and 10:30am."  
"Ok, will that be all?"  
"Yes, thank you very much Kyu." I say into the phone, I can sense that she's smiling into the phone as she replies.  
"You are very welcome Naruto." After that the connection cuts and I return my phone to its place in my pocket.  
'God it's getting cold out here,' I mumble as I pull my jacket closer to my body.  
I pass by shop after shop, but there's not much to do. Standing at a crosswalk and waiting for the light to change, I look up to see small café on the corner of an alley on the other side of the street. It's small, maybe won't be too crowded. At this time of day, that quite unlikely. A hot cup of coffee does sound great right now. Could get something to eat too. The crosswalk sign beeps to cross and I make my way over to the cafe. 'Looks to have been here for a while. Could have been here for god knows how long'. I hardly walk in this area of the city. There are a lot more interesting shops that I have found. I might actually just start coming by here more often.  
The bell of the door jingles as I open it. I am immediately surrounded by the warmth from the heating inside and it starts to melt away the cold from walking around. Most of which was just walking aimlessly about shops and through the park. It's a cozy place not too small but not big enough to house the morning rush at a Starbucks.  
Looking up at the neatly written order of drinks, pastries, food options, and such, I ramble off my order of medium coffee and a berry scone. As she types up my order and moves over to the display to pull out my pastry and put it in a brown wax paper bag she then goes over to the brewer, I take this time to shrug off my jacket and shove it in my bag.  
"Would you like room for cream?" she asks me before dispensing the coffee.  
Looking up, "Oh, yes please. Thank you very much," I reply with a smile. She returns the smile and fills my cup of coffee with room at the top so when I add cream it won't stream everywhere. I've done that far too many times. Putting my coffee alongside my pastries on the counter as she rings it up.  
"That will be $4.57, sir," she says with another kind smile. Handing her a five and getting my change back, I thank her again. "Have a good day!" she says as I make my way over to the condiment station, pour cream in, and add one too many sugars. Turning around I look around for a spot to sit and relax. Was this place this crowded when I first came in? Looking around from the front to the back tables there doesn't seem to be a spot. Sighing, I make my way down the walkway in search of a place to sit.  
This is the problem with cafes, small ones in particular. People have their bags occupying all the chairs at a table that could fit four while the only occupant is sipping their coffee and swiping away at his phone or typing away on their laptop. As I'm about to turn back around I see someone a few booths from the back. Walking closer, I realize it's the kid from the book store. He has his earphones in, focusing on a paper probably. Judging by the many business books stacked to the left of his laptop and the one he currently had open with highlighter marks and post-its stuck to the pages. He's completely oblivious to anyone around him. I make my way over till I'm not quite standing in front of him, not to freak him out, but close enough for him to see me. The entire other side of the booth is free and it's the only other free one in the whole cafe. Clearing my throat in an attempt to make my presence known goes unnoticed.  
"Hello?" I say, still nothing. I lean my head over to the side to hopefully catch his gaze, "Hello?" I say with a small wave of my hand to get his attention. Successfully he notices and glances up. It takes him a few seconds to register what is going on. He stutters a little and pulls out his earphones.  
"I-I'm sorry," he has a small blush creeping onto his cheeks, faint but still there, "Oh, h-hi again, you're from the bookstore this morning," he says as he puts his earphones on his open textbook and looks back up to me.  
"Sorry to bother you," I say as I scratch the back of my head, "I wanted to ask if you wouldn't mind me sitting here. See everywhere else is taken so," letting the sentence drag and fade there because I believe I got my point across. He looks a little taken aback by my request but with a slow nod he lets me sit.  
"Thank you very much. Sorry again to bother you, I'm Naruto," I smile as I slowly take my seat opposite him. "If for any reason you want me to leave then, by all means-"  
"N-No, it's no bother, I'm Sasuke," He slightly squirms in his seat, "Sorry for not noticing you standing there. Been working on this paper for one of my lectures." he says lightly, scratching his cheek as if to rub his blush away.  
"No, it's not a problem. School work is important. By all means don't let me distract you," I take a sip of my coffee as I see what he'll do. He smiles, putting an earbud back in as to hear me if i should need his attention and continues to type away whilst occasionally glancing at his textbook for reference.  
"If you don't mind me asking," I ask. He raises his head to me, "what degree are you going in for?" I take another couple of sips of my coffee and put it back down when he's about to answer.  
"Business," he sort of states with a sigh, not taking his eyes or hands off his laptop.  
"Yeah, those courses are pretty brutal. Hardest three years of my life. But, it's all worth it in the end," I say, taking another sip of my coffee. My comment seems to get him interested.  
"You're in business as well?" He says, as he takes his earphone out of his ear again, giving me his full attention.  
"Yeah. Taking over the family business so I got my MBA." I say, as I start working on my scone. He chuckles a little and sighs.  
"That makes two of us then," he says with a crooked smile, fidgeting with one of the pencils that he was using to take notes, "my brother is more cut out for it than I am but, have to be prepared."  
"Business not what you want to do?" I say with curiosity. Seeming a little taken aback by the question, he seems to be mulling over his thoughts of whether he should say at all or not.  
"Well, not really," looking down at his lap, "But, it's what I'm expected to do." He says with a sigh.  
"Hmm," thinking of a way to turn the conversation around, "If you could take anything right now what would it be?" Lifting his head, he looks at me with a bit of confusion and curiosity, like he knows what I'm asking but still wants to ask.  
"What do you mean?" now giving me his full attention.  
"Like," I lean back and think of how to elaborate, "if you could choose any career, anything. What would you want to choose?" I finish off my coffee and my scone and wait for him to answer. He seems to be putting a lot of thought into his answer, looking back down at his lap and fidgeting with his hands. After a minute or two he looks out the window.  
"Umm, to be honest, I've always enjoyed art," for a moment he sets his gaze back to his hands, "In exchange for taking all of the classes necessary for my business degree I get one art class," he says with a true smile as he continues to look at his hands, "It may be one but it has to be my favorite class of the week."  
"Looks like it really makes you happy", he looks back up at me, trying to see if it was a mocking statement, but finding nothing that would suggest so. "It's good to have something you're passionate about, something you enjoy greatly." I take a look out at the tree branches waving in the strong breeze that has kicked up since I got here.  
"What about you?" I turn my head back to the voice the question came from. "Oh, umm, I-I was going to ask you the same thing. Is there some kind of dream career that you want?" He lowers his head a bit, as if he may have asked the wrong question. I give him a kind smile to reassure him that it's all right.  
"I don't think it's much of a career, but I like to be a person to motivate people. Friends of my parents say that I'm a born leader, like my father is, and that I have the loud encouraging personality of my mother," I smile at him, "friends of hers and my father's tell me how much I remind them of her. Aside from the hair," I chuckle as I twist a few strands between my fingers, "she had long pin straight red hair. I get this unruly blonde from my dad. Though his always seems to look better than mine," I smile while ruffling my head.  
"It looks good. It suits your bright personality," he says shyly, but then his blush comes back full fledged. Seems like he didn't mean for that to come out. He stutters for a moment and looks back down at his hands on his lap.  
"Thank you," I chuckle to him, genuinely flattered by the compliment. He looks back up to meet my eyes, the blush still on his cheeks. We settled into a comfortable conversation, talking about this and that. More so myself talking for long periods of time and him responding when he found it appropriate. Once he became more comfortable, he started to share more about himself. From his studies in high school to his current courses in college. He talked about how his dad is the strict and stoic type that you don't typically want to defy, but when he grows fond of you, can be quite kind. How his mother is the sweetest person ever and always supported and continues to support him and his personal interests. She always bought him sketchbooks, paints, charcoals, etc. How his father made him go for a business degree so that he would know how to run the family business successfully when his brother and him inherited it. How his father believes that art is a pointless profession, without meaning or profit. But that his mother and elder brother have continued to supported his art endeavors. They even convinced his father into letting him take one art class of his choosing as long as he took all of the other classes that his father required him to take. After a long week of business, finances, economics, profits and such, it was a wondrous stress reliever to go into the art studio and throw all of his pent up energy into his art pieces.  
"What art do you take? If you don't mind me asking," my coffee and scone long gone at this point.  
"Advanced Drawing and Painting" he says.  
"Wow, you ought to be extremely talented!" I say with true excitement, "you wouldn't by any means have anything you could show me?" He looks at me tentatively, then begins to shuffle through his backpack for a green spiral book. The edges are tattered, showing its constant use. Pulling it out and he flips through the pages 'till he settles on one and hands it over.  
"Don't worry about smudging it, I've already sprayed it so it's ok." Looking at him and then back to the book being handed to me, I reach for it and begin to examine the art before me. It's beautiful. It's of the huge fountain in the center of the park that I can see from my house. Everything is in perfect detail. The charcoal is smudged perfectly to illustrate the shadow. It's as if someone took a black and white photograph and pasted it on the very page I'm admiring. "This one is kind of new. Mostly landscape sketches from the park," he says shyly, "you can look through if you want," he says more to the table than me with a sense of worry and nervousness.  
"Really?!" I say in an enthusiastic manner. He looks taken aback by my positive response. He just stares at me and nods slowly. I flip to the next page to see the same location but it's of an elderly couple sitting at a park bench, holding hands while feeding the pigeons as they flock to them for bird seed. A smile makes its way onto my lips while I scan my eyes over each part of the intricate drawings. "Wow, these are beautiful. They really are. You're incredibly talented Sasuke," I say to him with a genuinely kind smile on my face as I go back to looking tentatively at each work of art. "I glance up through my bangs to see Sasuke fidgeting with his hands again but with the most genuine smile of happiness you could see on one's face. "Have you shown your parents or brother these?" I say as I carefully hand him back his sketchbook. His eyes move back up to meet mine, smile still in place.  
"Just my mother and brother. They really love them and encourage me to continue," for a moment his smile falters, "my father thinks it's time that could be used on more important things. He tried to take me out of my art class with the argument 'that it was putting a strain on my work in the classes that he deems more important'," with a sigh, putting his elbow on the table and resting his cheek with his eyes on his hand playing with the pencil, he continued, "I focused completely on both, so that neither would suffer. My grades in all of his classes were perfect and I was still participating fully in my art class," he leaned into his hand, sighing and giving a small chuckle, as his smile came back, "his face when I showed him my grades," he chuckles again, "it was priceless. He never thought I had it in me. But I proved him wrong. And if I keep it up, I can keep an art class until I graduate, with the exception of continuing to take his classes," he says this with not much enthusiasm.  
I'm mesmerized by this kid. This kid with a business tycoon of a dad steps up for what he's passionate about. "That must have taken a lot of guts. Your dad doesn't seem like the kind of guy you would want to piss off."  
"No, no he's not," he says humorously.  
"Well, it's good you did that," he meets my eyes, waiting for me to elaborate. "People lose track of the things that make them, well, them. Instead, most follow the careers that will give them the most success, the most fame or respect, but end up even less happy than they were before. But some are able to be successful and be truly happy. Everyone is different. My dad always says 'have a job that you enjoy going to every time you have to go to it'. That's what I want to do, do something that makes me feel happy that I'm doing it. Like I'm actually doing some good that will help others," glancing outside as the wind starts to settle down, "you know?" I look back at him and he looks at me with this look of deep understanding.  
"Yeah, no I get that. Not make your mark necessarily, but make this life you're living worth all the time you put into it."  
Smiling a happy smile towards him, "yeah, exactly," at this point a silence came into the conversation, but not an awkward one, "So, you work in a bookstore," I state. For a second he gets a confused look on his face, as if wondering how I know this. But then he quickly recovers with the memory of this morning.  
"Yeah, I needed money to pay for my art supplies outside of class, to practice, and I guess I just grew fond of the working there. There's not much that I do there," he says with a shrug.  
"What do you do?" I ask out of curiosity.  
"Open, set the displays up, help customers find and purchase things, basic stuff. Running the morning shift is really peaceful. No one really comes into a bookstore in the morning"  
"Except me," I smirk at my interjection. He chuckles.  
"Yes, except for you. Other than that, it's pretty slow, I just get to sit around and read books. Plus it's just a few blocks from the park that I love to sketch. It's the only place beside the schools art studio that can feel at ease"  
"I know what you mean. It's good that you have places that you can call your own, without the worry of others. A place you can stop and breath a clear breath of air."  
"Do you have one?" confused for a second before, "a place to call yours?", saying this shyly. I lean back because it doesn't take me much time at all.  
"I don't actually. But, when I find it, I'll know it." I finish with a smile, he looks and smiles then down to his lap.  
As we exit the cafe it's the start of the afternoon, too early to head back home. "You busy right now?" I ask, he pauses wrapping his scarf around his neck and stares at me. "I'm mean if you're busy that's ok. I just, thought I'd ask" I say while finding an interest in the cracks in the sidewalk.  
"U-Umm," he stammers for a second then looks at his watch, "well it's almost 11:40 right now. My art class starts in an hour. You can come along with me if you want"  
"Really!" coughing to settle down my excitement, "I mean, if that's alright with you?" he seems to be in a small state of shock and his blush is coming back while he opens his mouth and manages to stumble out a yes. "Awesome, which way is it to your school? You lead the way," his blush reaches the entirety of his cheeks, he rubs at them with his hand as if to erase their existence.  
"On the other side of town. It's on the opposite side of the park. If we take our time we can make it there." nodding his head in the direction for me to follow. As we come up to wait for the light to cross over, a crowd of people start to form, also waiting to cross. As the crowd builds, people begin to move to stand in front of us, trying to get closer to the street. That's the problem with living in a populated city. Myself being 6 foot makes it easy for me to see my way through. Sasuke, on the other hand, is a few inches shorter than myself. He's maybe 5'9", at most 5'10". As we get ready to cross, I reach over and grab Sasuke's hand just as the crossing light starts to beep for us to walk. I feel him freeze for a moment but follow me through the crowd. With people pushing and shoving back and forth trying to make their way through the crowd, Sasuke and I are pushed close together. Sasuke's hand tightens around mine. I sense he's gone a bit rigid and his palms are starting to sweat. I can feel his pulse racing through his hand. Oh no, I hope he isn't claustrophobic. With force I plow our way through. Just one more streetlight to wait at and we will be at the park. Looking down, his cheeks are bright red and his breath is coming out in small puffs visible from the top of his scarf with his eyes just a tad bit wide. Finally, the crosswalk sign starts to beep to signal we can cross and I pull Sasuke close to me to maneuver our way through the crowd. When we reach the other side I make our way out of the crowd coming up from behind us.  
"God, it can get really crowded," I say as I take a few breaths. Looking down at him he has his eyes trained on our still joined hands. "Sasuke? Sasuke, are you ok?" nothing, leaning forward and waving my hand in front of his view he responds immediately gripping my hand and looking straight back up at me.  
"I-I I'm sorry, did you say something?" he says, his cheeks still flushed.  
"Are you ok? You went rigid back there. I didn't know if you're claustrophobic and you were having a panic attack so I just got you out of the crowd as fast as I could. You feeling better?" I ask genuinely curious to see what freaked him out before. He just stares at me with a confused look, "you were acting really nervous when all the people were around us so I thought maybe you might be claustrophobic." His confusion quickly turns into flustered embarrassment.  
"Oh! No, it's fine! Really!" he says waving his free hand in front of himself.  
"Oh good, you scared me a tad back there," I release a sigh of relief. "So, where to now?"  
"Hm? Oh, umm this way," he says as he pulls our still linked hands, seeming to have completely forgotten about it. Making our way into the forested park the cut off from the sun and the continued chilling breeze starts to take a toll. Releasing Sasuke's hand I look into my bag to pull out a thicker jacket.  
"You mind holding this for a second?" I say handing over my messenger bag to him. Giving a small nod he takes it and I'm able to shrug on my jacket with a few moments of fixing the sweater and shirt underneath. After fixing the collar I stretch my hand back out to him "Thanks, it's gotten so cold lately I've taken to just carrying a winter jacket just incase," I sling my bag back over my neck to my other shoulder and have the bag rest on my back.  
As we walk through the path of the park, with the direction of Sasuke, we fall back into comfortable conversation. "So you've lived here your whole life?"  
"Yeah, and today was the first time I have been in the bookstore you work at. Shows there's still a lot of exploring I have to do," I say as I look up at the branches above us as we walk. "What about you? You live here too?"  
"My family moved here for business about a year ago. Plus it was near the college my father has me going to. At first I was really against it. Leaving my friends back home. Right when I thought I was just going to be miserable here, on the first day I passed a bulletin board in one of the hallways. I saw that they had a free spot in a drawing and painting class at my college. At first I ignored it. But when it was still there after a couple of days I decided to just go up and see if the spot for a student was still free," the same genuine smile from when I complimented his art was back, "I never thought that the teacher would think I had the potential to be in her class. But she greatly enjoyed my work and signed me into the class. Since then, it's been my favorite place to be."  
"It really makes you that genuinely happy huh," I smile at him, turning with the same smile in place.  
"Really, how so?" he asks.  
"Just by how you talk about it and how it makes you feel. And," I say while reaching my hand over and tapping my index finger to the corner of his smile, "because you give a smile that shows so," his blush ignites on his cheeks as he quickly turns his face away. Laughing it off we continue walking. Out of the corner of my eyes I see him rubbing where I poked him. He has an embarrassed look on his face but then, as his hand stills in place, a small heart warming smile makes its way onto his face. For a while we just walk in a comfortable silence through the rest of the park. I look over at Sasuke every once in a while and he seems deep in thought. After he almost walks into a crowd of people I reach over and grab his hand to lead him out of the way. With nothing showing he wants me to remove my hand I keep our hands joined. It helps, with how spaced out he seems to be. Casting my gaze from him to up in front of me I see the exit. On our getting closer to it a large school looking building comes into view. Nudging Sasuke with my shoulder I get his attention back.  
"Hmm?" he asks  
"We're here I think."  
At that Sasuke looks forward at the school that's coming closer and closer. A look of disappointment comes across his face. We walk out of the park and come to a halt standing at the open area.  
Sasuke looks down and shuffles his feet finding the floor more interesting. "Umm, thank you for walking me here."  
"Not a problem! It was really nice, thank you for letting me accompany you." I give an eye closing smile. He pulls his eyes away from me as his cheeks flush again when I let his hand go.  
"Well, yeah. Umm.. t-thank you again for..uh..walking me here." He gazes up at me, his bangs covering some of his eyes.  
Chuckling again, I say, "You're welcome." I watch Sasuke start to walk towards the crosswalk leading to the college, turning back once more to give a small wave back to me.  
When Naruto is out of sight the crosswalk beeps for me to walk and wakes me from my stupor. Crossing the street I make my way onto the campus. The whole journey to art class my mind is elsewhere. 'Did that really happen?', while on autopilot I find my way inside the art building on campus, up to the second floor and into the classroom. When I get seated there are only a few students inside. They are still setting all of their supplies up, 'good I'm early' I think to myself. After setting down on a stool behind an easel I start unpacking my supplies. I pull out one of my larger sketchbooks and some charcoals for class. My day goes as it always does.  
With small light strokes of my pencil an outline starts to take shape on the large canvas leaning against the wall of the spacious studio. When it came to drawing and painting my mind would seem to switch into this ultimate state of autopilot. My full attention being on the large white blank emptiness in front of me, patiently waiting to be created into whatever my mind deemed fit. Starting from the center left side and branching out from there the painting starts to take shape. My hand seems to move of its own accord, my mind wanders to a certain individual that had been on my mind for most, if not all, of the afternoon. Finished with outlining, I start bringing out the acrylics, taking my time to mix each color to the desired greys and browns to fit the winter park. After that I start to work on Naruto's attire, saving his face for last. Starting with the warm shade of his skin. I then move onto his eyes, bringing out all of the lighter blues in the iris by contrasting them with a darker color. After mixing blue after blue I come to the closest shade that resembled them. They started out slightly darker around the edges of the iris and then became a light crystal blue around the pupil.  
The teacher made her way along the classroom, eyeing everyone's work. She would stop for no more than a few moments at each student and then move on to the next. She reached my painting as I'm adding a couple of final touches to the face before going into more detail on the background. She marvels in the creation thus far.  
"Beautiful work as always Sasuke," broken from my daydreaming, I was startled to find out that I had started drawing Naruto, "will we be seeing this in the studio's open house?"  
"Oh," taken aback quite a bit by the suggestion I quickly mull it over, "do you really think it has potential ma'am?"  
With a smile she replies, "Indeed I do. Whoever this young man is, he's certainly had a lasting impression on you. As you were." The teacher goes back to making her way about the room, I takes another look at my work. My heart flutters as I remember. It's of a moment when Naruto had stopped on our walk to look at the huge leafless trees. He had been looking up with the most blissful smile spread across his face, and a cloud of vapor had escaped from his mouth when he'd exhaled his warm breath into the chilly air. At first glance of the drawing, your eyes would immediately focus on Naruto's soft, sun-blonde hair, it shone brightly in contrast to the dark sky surrounding his head. But that wasn't even his most captivating feature. That title fell to his eyes. Anyone who would spend more than a couple of minutes with him would become mesmerized by them. They're the kind of eyes that demand your attention. The light blue crystal necklace hidden in his soft grey sweater accentuated them perfectly, almost demanding you to stare into them. Sasuke was fascinated by them.  
"I've got it bad," I mutter, wiping the sweat off my brow as I shake my head and sigh. I lift my gaze to give my artwork another glance.


	2. Chapter 2

As sleep starts to slowly wash away, his eyes settle on my phone dock, currently playing the morning news. Letting out a long yawn from within the confines of his warm plush duvet he emerges, stepping out of bed to stretch his arms far above his head letting out another long tired yawn feeling the blood flow smoothly through his muscles after sleeping curled up for so long. After stretching he walk over to the blind that cover the door to his small balcony.  
“Today's forecast will be cool paired with dense cloud cover, with expected rain later in the week,” the radio spoke as he simultaneously twisted and pulled to open my blinds. It was so peaceful this time of day. “The time is 5:54am --” till he changed the radio to play his phones music instead. To shuffle my morning playlist, starting off with ‘Colourblind by: The Art of Sleeping’. While getting ready it would shuffle between them ‘Lydia’, and ‘The 1975’. When he was done he grabs his bag that contained the everyday necessities. Laptop, Sketchbook, Pencils, Charcoals, and Wallet containing Bus Card, etc, before snagging my phone off its dock, plugging in the earphones and shoving it in my back pocket.  
He walks downstairs to find his brother already gone. He leaves for the office far earlier than Sasuke does. Walking into the kitchen he find his thermos with coffee in it. Itachi always knew when he woke up which wasn’t long after he leaves the house for work.  
Sasuke made it onto the bus by 6:32am. Settling for a seat in the middle of the bus and going for the window seat. See, on the buses you’re not allowed to have beverages on them. So, from where he is, he can take a long sip of the creamy hot beverage. He takes intermediate sips of his coffee for the remainder of the bus ride.  
Today he opted for not really trying to look all that presentable. He had stayed up late finishing a few sketches that weren’t due till next week but wanted to get them done early, along with a paper for business. Going for black skinny jeans, a self-made wife beater ‘Daryl Riot’ shirt, a dark blue and green flannel on top, slouchy black beanie to hide his hair that was beyond help this morning and his prescription ray bans. Complete with his flannel inner-lined military style jacket and black doc martens.  
The bus drops him a block from the bookstore that he works at. After passing a few stores he sidesteps to go up an alleyway to a door that takes him the back door of the store. Before entering he knock a couple of times and turn the knob to open the door and goes inside.  
“Kakashi? I’m here!” He yells into the store from the back. The back had been converted into a employee section, but mostly a book storage area. Not seeing him he walked into the main store. “Kakashi!” he yell into the store. No answer, typical, he’s probably got his earphones in his ears whilst organizing the shelves. Walking over to the register and setting his bag on the seat adjacent to it he continues to look for his boss. Sure enough there he was, listening to music while placing the newly ordered books on the shelves. Making his way down the aisle Kakashi takes notice and reaches to pull out his earphones.  
“Oh Sasuke! How long have you been here?” He says taking a moment to look at his watch.  
“It’s ok, I just got in. You didn’t respond when I called out so I figured you were putting books away,” Sasuke states as he turns his attention to the bookshelf that was now almost completely restocked. “and I was right.”  
“On time as always, if only my other employees were as punctual as you are. That being said, how's school going’ for you?” He asked Sasuke with concern before his mind went back to putting the last of the books on the shelves. Kakashi was a great manager, the best that Sasuke had ever had. “You just look like shit. If you need the day off say no more I can manage.” he says with a chuckle as he puts the books in his hands in there place. Sasuke had told him all about his stressful schooling and he was always completely understanding.  
“Ha ha, no. Just felt like dressing down today.” Earning a questioning look from him. “What?” Sasuke draw out with a smirk, “ I can’t have one lazy work outfit day?” He chuckled out.  
“I guess so, even the royals must look commoner.” he retorts.  
“Ha ha, fuck you.” Sasuke says with a smile and small laugh.  
“It amazes me that you still haven’t found someone Sasuke.” Kakashi says more to the bookshelf than to Sasukes face itself. “Your well educated, your sociable, in your own way, your down to earth and your attractive for your age.” Sasuke has been working here for almost 2 years now. When there wasn’t the usual sarcastic retort from Sasuke's end kakashi turned and looked at him. Only Sasuke was praying to whatever greater power there was no trace of a blush on his face.  
“Ohh, is there something you need to tell me Uchiha?” he says as he leans on the now full shelf. All Sasuke could do was stay mute, his best defence in this situation. “ Spill it.” Not seeing much of an option, being that Kakashi would pester him for the foreseeable future, and no, that is not an over exaggeration. Kakashi is extremely determined. Looking around hastily Sasuke could see that the “closed” sign was still up. As he look back up to meet his bosses eyes a smirk was now on his face, ‘yeah he’s never going to let this down’.  
“So, I,” ‘god this is so embarrassing’ “may, or may not have...possibly...met someone.” Ok, now he was definitely blushing, profusely. Adjusting his glasses on the the bridge of my nose, Kakashi learns against the bookshelf and lifts up his eyebrows in a gesture for him to continue explaining. “He came into the store yesterday, while you were out.” This tidbit of information gained what little part of his attention that was not solely directed on Sasuke. “He, um, came in while I was finishing organizing the books on the back wall.” Sasuke now looked down to the dark carpeted floor of the shop, not daring to look up at the shit eating smirk that was probably plastered on his face. “He looked through the store, mostly looking at the fiction novels--” Sasuke said the last bit under his breath but Kakashi heard it.  
“Hm, stalking a customer while their browsing? He must’ve been quite a sight. Especially if he’s got you this frazzled. Well at least you're in this little place and not in an office.” that brought Sasuke's eyes up and by the snicker that passes Kakashi’s lips, yes, he was very much blushing, profusely. Shit. As Sasuke was about to retort his boss waved his hand and apologized.  
“This is why I shouldn’t have said anything.” Sasuke said bitterly, shoving his hands in his pockets.  
“Well, I’m happy that you had a good experience. Even if it was short. This makes me happier that I opened this shop after leaving the company.” He said with a genuine smile. Kakashi had started a company with one of his old superiors, only to sell off his share to said superior. Especially when the company started to branch out so much. With the growing popularity Kakashi had less and less time to do the things he loved. He had always wanted to live the simple life. Be able to spend more time with his husband. That’s where the bookstore came from, Kakashi had always wanted one. Kakashi had left the company with an overly generous sum that he kept in a savings account. He lived the simple life now. Sasuke admired this about him. He had money, but was still extremely grounded.  
Sasuke merely stood there and nodded to what Kakashi had said. At this point, the conversation would most definitely be over, if it weren’t for the fact that Sasuke stayed completely silent and frozen. “Sasuke?” it reeked with the tone of him knowing there was more Sasuke wasn’t telling him. Looking up to try and defend, what little Sasuke had left of his honor in this situation, he saw the look. ‘Oh shit, he knows.’  
“I should probably open up the store.” He state frantically. Praying that the conversation would just drop already. But no, he should have known.  
“Oh no you don’t, get your ass back here.” Cursing under his breath he turned around and looked at him. Almost as if to way out the options of telling him the whole story or just lying. The truth would get him off my back instantly, though based on what happened, probably not. And if Sasuke were to lie, Kakashi would know and keep pestering him until he told him the truth. Either way, there was no winning.  
“Fine.” Kakashi looked at him with the full intent of listening to everything he had to say. “After my shift I cut through the park and went to that coffee, cafe place down a few blocks,” he was still listening to me ever so intently, not wanting to miss a single detail, “I got there ordered coffee and thought that I would get in a couple of hours of studying before I went to class.” As Sasuke was explain all of this a smile unknown to him formed on his face as he replayed every detail of that day. “While I was studying, very intently I might add, he came into the cafe. I had my mind and face so buried in my studies I didn’t notice him.” This was typical Sasuke. Studying and not paying attention to his surroundings.  
“He came up to me and asked if he could sit, because there were no other chairs available, so, I lent him the seat opposite me and we just started talking. He was really nice. He had gone in for business himself. We just started talking about a few school things. I showed him my art and, he...really liked it.” Sasuke hadn’t had someone, other than his mother and Itachi. “After we left the cafe when we were about to go our separate ways,” Sasuke couldn’t help but blush at the moment he remembered him holding his hand, “he asked if he could walk with me on my way to class, and, I said yes.” Kakashi seemed a swirl of emotion, but in a good way. Confused as to how he trusted a random stranger so soon, which Sasuke wouldn’t blame him and happy that he had a great time. “We walked through the park there. Talking about this and that. He was like no one else, like a breath of fresh air, you know? As if while you’re in a bad place there that one person that seems to shine, not just themselves but, they help you shine more. Brighter than you ever thought you could. That, feeling you get in your stomach and whole being that, you can release a bit of the person that you truly are.”  
It’s always so hard trying to explain the happy things in your life. It's easier to explain the dark because the feelings are so much easier to describe because in the sad moment our bodies and mind are mulling over everything with a fine toothed comb. But with the happy, you’re so taken back and in the moment you don’t have time to write it down or document it, because you’re too busy being out there living it. Because when you think about the bad stuff, it festers and it’s all that your mind is able to think about, all you can dwell on is the bad. But not the good.  
Sasuke looked up to meet his eyes that were filled with wonder with a small smile, “You know that feeling you get when you're around that person you like? The feeling of butterflies in your stomach and your lungs. You try everything you can to keep their attention on you. When their close your heart starts to race and you want to look them in the eyes to show them all of that.”  
“Yeah, I do.” he said with a sound to his voice that was full of subtle happiness. Looking up to see Kakashi’s eyes half closed with a sincere smile on his face. He really was happy for Sasuke. “I hope you get to see him again Sasuke.” he pats my shoulder and goes to open the shop.  
“That makes two of us.” Sasuke replied with a nervous laugh. His heart was still pounding so much he could hear it in his ears, his palms were sweaty and he would bet anything that he still had that pathetic blush on his cheeks. He went to the bathroom while Kakashi started opening the shop. Washing his hands to get rid of the sweat. After removing his glasses to splash some cool water on his face to calm down the blush. Reaching for the paper towels he pats his face dry. Looking at himself in the mirror and smiling. Picking up his glasses to place them back on his face.  
Most of the morning shift was spent with Sasuke at the register sketching the bookshelves, people outside through the old windows, which then turn to him pulling his laptop out and plugging in till a customer came to purchase something. A few people came up and he rang them up. A small group of about four sixteen year olds came in and went to the teen section only to keep peeking around the corner to squeal and turn back to the books, as an excuse to look me up. Typical, it happened every once in a while. It then got slow, this always happened, about an hour and a half before his shift ended at noon. Browsing online he was browsing from art supplies to band tours. Which was only until a customer started to wave their hand to get his attention. I sighed, pausing the video I was watching to slowly remove the earbuds from my ears and look up to the customer only to freeze completely.  
“You are working today! Hooray!” The person said with a large smile and glimmering blue eyes. Sasuke’s eyes looked at him in shock, ‘speak you shit! speak!’  
“N-Naruto, what are you doing here?” Sasuke asked, which was a stupid question being that he had just said it. In one way or another. He gave a deep throaty laugh.  
“I came to see you. I wanted to know if you were free for lunch.” he said as he leaned his elbows on the register table and looked at him with that smile that could stop a truck. “If you can’t that is completely ok, I just thought that I would ask.” he finished, bending one of his forearms to scratch his neck. Barely breaking eye contact.  
‘H-He’s, asking me out?’ “Um, s-sure, I get off in a little over an hour, if you can preoccupy yourself till then?” He nodes and points over to the books off to the side of me.  
“I just browse till you’re off.”  
“Ok, cool.” Sasuke was pretty sure he was blushing again. For a while he browsed about the books, taking his time to let his eyes travel over ever title. Occasionally picking up one to flip it open to read the summary inside. It only dawned on Sasuke that he was staring when he did not sense Kakashi’s presents.  
“Whatcha’ lookin’ at?” He said in a hushed tone nearly knocking Sasuke over at the close proximity and was starting to look the direction that Sasuke had been. At this he panicked and started to pretend that his phone was all of a sudden oh so interesting. “Are you checking out customers again?”. At that my face flushed in a dark red trying to bury myself in my beanie. “No. Don’t tell me that’s the guy that hit on you yesterday?! The one you like?!”  
“Shut up! Could you be any louder?” Sasuke hushed him. Kakashi only snickered. Shit. “Don’t. Do. Anything.” Kakashi simply smiled and straightened himself up to turn towards Naruto.  
“Hello!” Naruto paused from reading a book that seemed to peak his interest.  
“Hello.” He stood sort of awkward, thinking he had done something wrong.  
“I am the owner of this bookstore. If you need anything don’t hesitate to ask myself or lovely Sasuke over here”. Looking relieved that he hadn’t done anything wrong he smiled back.  
“Thank you very much, I will.” He finished with a nod. Within the time that it took Kakashi to turn to Naruto and then back to him, Sasuke had already thought of 15 ways he wanted to kill his boss. He eventually returned to the back of the store. About an hour passed and Naruto had surprisingly finished browsing through all of the books.  
“Hey.” Sasuke was caught off guard, one earphone in whilst drawing some sketches for his art class.  
“Hey,” He stared at him for a moment, “what’s up?”  
“I kind of finished looking and relooking. So umm,” he pulled his arm behind his hair and scratched the back of his head, a habit apparently, “would it be cool if I hung out behind the register with you till you're off?”  
Stunned Sasuke tried to keep his voice leveled in response, it failed. “Umm, y-yeah. One sec.” Quickly getting up from his chair and moving over to the chair had all my stuff settled on it. Once getting resettled he offered Naruto the seat. “Is that ok?” a hint of worry slipped its way into his voice, which he picked up on.  
“Oh, yeah. Thank you,” he said taking a seat, “sorry for the trouble. I didn’t know if I was allowed back here or if it was just for employees only.” He gave a sheepish smile. God that smile was going to be the death of Sasuke if he had any say in the matter.  
“Really, it’s no problem at all. The morning shift is barely active at all, plus being a saturday, its extra dead.” Sasuke says with a sort of drone, showing his boredom.  
“Gets that slow huh?” Sasuke gives a nod.  
“So what do you do to fill up the abundance of time that you have?” He asks, leaning his elbow of the table and propping his cheek in his palm. The proximity was calming for Sasuke.  
“Sketch, go online, listen to music, pretty much anything to keep my mind occupied really.” It was strange how much the nervousness was non present.  
“Oh, what music do you listen to?” He asked, genuinely curious.  
“Umm, I don’t know really, it's sort of a weird, my music library.” Sasuke said in full honesty.  
“Well, let’s have a listen.” He says. At this Sasuke laugh only to find that he is serious when he rolls closer to me and reaches a hand out for me to hand him a earphone. Freezing for a second only to scramble back to his senses, he switches his earphones around and gives him his left one and continues what he was listening to before which was ‘Breathe by: Matt Corby’, only to start it from the beginning for Naruto.  
It starts off with a subtle guitar and a soothing undertone in the background.

“Speed stretches fallen rain.  
Skin lines on the window pane.  
It blurs until I'm blind.  
Can't see the other side.

I took the long way home,  
Through November's undertone.  
Sharp eyes sifting through to find  
Moments rare and purified.

The song had a lulling way to it that instantly put you at ease. Sasuke turned his head slightly when there was slight tug of the earphone cord. Naruto had leaned his back and head against the wall behind him and closed his eyes. The air coming evenly with each inhale and exhale. His face looked so serene.

I didn't know where I was,  
Or where i was running to.  
I didn't know where I was,  
I don't know where I'm running to.  
Fear is needless, seize.  
Air is fearless, breathe.”

There were freckles that gathered from the bridge of his nose and faded into his cheeks. Sasuke quietly picked his sketchbook up from the table along with a pencil and began. Starting with the soft strokes of the outline. Itching in the details, hair, nose. Ears, that to his surprise were pierced. Sasuke could imagine him with a pair of simple pierced ears, but there were several that went up the side of his ear cartilage indicating room for another couple studs and a labret.

“So far from the ocean's thrall,  
I was homesick inside city walls.  
The seasons were upside down,  
I was lost in hope that I won't be found.”

I didn't know where I was,  
Or where i was running to.  
I didn't know where I was,  
I don't know where I'm running to.  
Fear is needless, seize.  
Air is fearless, breathe”

 

“Hmm.” he hummed to himself. Continuing to look over his soft complexion, He found out several other things. While sketching in the details of his nose and eyebrows I found piercing marks as well. The left nostril had a small visible sign of a hole. It looked to be healed over. At this he took a moment to look over his face and tried to imagine Naruto with all the piercing in their places. As his eyes traveled over his face as “Winter by Matt Corby” came on. Naruto not only had evidence of ear and nose piercings, but a right eyebrow piercing.

“The winter is coming  
Way too soon  
Winter is coming  
Way too soon”

“Oh winter is coming  
Way too soon  
Oh winter is coming  
Way too soon”

“Oh summer we party  
Way too soon  
Oh summer we party,  
oh Way too soon”

As the details were in place, the shading started. His clear complexion, strong jawline, ruffled bed hair that seemed to stand up and fall giving Sasuke a good challenge. Finishing the details of his face he worked his way out, only to realize he had pretty much used the entire page just on his face alone. Whilst completing the sketch, he quietly put the sketchbook away in my bag along with his pencils. He turned the music volume down a bit just at a low enough so that you would just be able to hear it, but not loud enough to be disruptive. The quiet chime of “Midnight by Coldplay” flowed through the earphones and into his ear.

“In the darkness before the dawn  
In the swirling of the storm  
When I'm rolling with the punches and hope is gone  
Leave a light a light on”

For a moment Sasuke turned and leaned back as Naruto was and let his gaze rest on him.

“Millions of miles from home In the swirling swimming on  
When I'm rolling with the thunder  
But bleed from thorns  
Leave a light a light on  
Leave a light a light on”

He was the essence of warmth.  
Of good hearted.  
Of kind.  
He looked out for others.  
He was one that had many friends.  
Never talked badly of people.

“Leave a light a light on  
Leave a light a light on”

He gave off a warm glow, that seemed to not only brighten up a room but also have the ability to warm whoever encountered it. Maybe it was this ball of warm, positive energy that drew me to him, and maybe him to me.

“In the darkness before the dawn  
In the darkness before the dawn  
Leave a light a light on  
Leave a light a light on”

But who was he kidding. How could someone who was so much the opposite of himself, have any inkling of interest towards Sasuke. Sasuke was cold, shy, defensive; unloveable. Haven’t been able to have a stable relationship if his life depended on it. All ending with the other saying the same line, “Why do you shut me out? Don’t you love me, or like me at all?” ‘Be the Song by Foy Vance” started with its soft guitar intro.

“When nightmares come,  
keep you awake,  
baby close your eyes,  
I'll take the weight,  
but I won't speak  
I will refrain and be the song,  
just be the song.

when inner scars,  
show on your face,  
and darkness hides,  
your sense of place,  
well I won't speak,  
I will refrain and be the song,  
just be the song.

flow down all my mountains,  
darlin' fill my valleys,  
flow down all my mountains,  
darlin' fill my valleys,  
flow down all my mountains,  
darlin' fill my valleys,”

He’s probably never had to deal with people like him, guarded. Afraid of getting too attached to someone that they truly like. Because, when it ends, there is less pain. When you've attached yourself to someones to the point they have almost become, a part of yourself. And when they leave, its harder, and more painful to have to give them up. Its as if you have to tear them from your very being.

and when you run  
far from my eyes,  
then I will come,  
in dead of night,  
but I won't speak,  
till morning' light,  
I'll be the song,  
just be the song.

flow down all my mountains,  
darlin' fill my valleys,  
flow down all my mountains,  
darlin' fill my valleys,  
flow down all my mountains,  
darlin' fill my valleys”

Sure, Sasuke had friends, but were they really his close friends? Did he tell them everything? He never had that one person that he was able to open up to. Not even his therapist. Years of putting up walls that he didn’t even know he’d built. Now staring at Naruto. There was this feeling that he could tell him everything. Maybe it was the fact of not having any past connection to him, a clean slate. A chance to be a good person,to be someone like him. Carefree, caught whatever life threw at him with a heart melting smile. Maybe I could be more like that.  
After a moment he realized that there was no longer any music going through his earphones, ‘guess the playlist is over’. He looked back over at Naruto’s peaceful face, he could really sleep anywhere huh, he had a darkness under his eyes, but it was subtle. Sasuke hoped he’s sleeping well. Now that he remembered he did say that he worked for his dad's company. Knowing full well how much stress that put on Itachi and Sasuke knew full well that it was equally stressful for Naruto as well. Taking a brief look away to see over the counter he nearly jumped at seeing Kakashi standing in front of the desk. With is finger up to his lips, and nodding towards Naruto. Sasuke looked over and gently took his earphone out of his ear and leaned forward without disturbing him.  
“So, is this him?” Kakashi gave him the once over, “man, I envy you.” He finished with a smirk and started to walk towards the back. “By the way,” Sasuke meet his eyes, “you're off now, take your boyfriends and go do what you kids do nowadays.” moving his eyebrows in a suggestive manner and a smirk. Sasukes face instantly grew warm from the flush that grew faster by the second. The moment Kakashi was out of sight Sasuke heard a groan beside him and swung his head around, almost hurting himself in the process. Naruto looked to be just coming to. His eyes blinking the sleep away as he stood up and towered over Sasuke and stretched his arms above his head and yawned. For a brief moment Sasuke's eyes caught sight of the waistband of Naruto's boxer briefs that rested tightly against a well defined v-line and abs. Making my blood temp and heart rate skyrocket. Shooting my head away he took a few deep breaths whilst looking at anything but him, or he would have a serious problem on his hands.  
Completely oblivious Naruto looks over at him with a confused look. Dismissing it he looks to his watch and an aura of excitement seems to flow off of him. “Oh hey, sorry to fall asleep on you.”  
“It’s no problem. Really.” surprised that it didn’t come out as a stammer.  
“Wow, haven’t napped that well in a long time.” He says, ending the sentence with another yawn.  
At a loss for words Sasuke simply nods. Taking a brief look at his own watch he saw that he is actually 15 minutes over his shift. “Hey, I’m off.” Not wanting to continue any further just in case.  
“Oh really? Awesome! So you hungry?” He ask as he re-organizes himself. Still in a daze at what has happened and what is happening.  
“Yeah, just give me a sec.” Sasuke turns and pick up all of his things and slips them into his bag, followed by grabbing his jacket and heading out with Naruto once he gave Naruto the nod that he was ready.  
They went to a sandwich shop that was close by and just sat and talked. In more detail about what they were doing. How he was working for his father's big company that brings his stress level up a bit but, manageable. Sasuke could see that it did get to him. He could see it in his eyes. There was stuff he was leaving out. A question came to mind. He had talked about his family and friends, yet, not about his mother. He was about to regret that.  
“Sound like you have a lot of people around you huh?” Sasuke said, finishing off his cola.  
“Yeah, when you realize the value of life, you dwell less on what is past and concentrate more on the preservation of the future." He says with a smile, already having stuffed his face with food.  
“So, um, what about your mother?” Sasuke asks with genuine curiosity. There was a sudden stop, as if time stood still for a moment. Naruto face paused for only what was a fraction of a second before holding itself back up.  
“I don’t see her very often. She's, very busy. To be honest both of my parents are very busy.” He ends with a chuckle. with a faint smile. I lean forward crossing my arms on the table.  
“Eccedentesiast...” He simply state.  
“Huh?” was his only response, along with an adorable look of confusion.  
“Eccedentesiast. It’s a term used for someone who hides their pain and misery behind a fake smile.” Naruto doesn’t know what to say he assume. A blush come up as he realize the random bit of information that he just said, “I took a semester of Psychology and also have a therapist that tells me I do the same thing.” I said cautiously, with a nervous chuckle. Wondering if he had crossed a line. Which he felt he had in fact crossed. Naruto looked back with a bit of shock on his face, probably because Sasuke had called out his bluff.  
“You’re not wrong, but, you know,” leaning his cheek on his hand and stares peacefully out the window, before breaking contact and looking Sasuke in the eyes with a crooked smile, “family’s complicated.”  
As they continue to talk to each other the sky starts to darken with clouds and before they know it, it was raining quite heavily outside. Only noticing when he mudders “ah crap..” under his breathe. Looking up at him, then to the window. ‘Shit’, Sasuke then goes to his phone to check the time. He has just missed his bus, next one not being for a few hours or tomorrow. ‘how the hell am I going to get home?’  
Naruto seemed to see my distressing look and broke the silence, “Don’t suppose you live close by?” he said back to him with a half smile.  
“No, I live about two buses out of the city.” Sasuke sighs at the window.  
After another few moments of silence and running ideas through his head. Naruto seem to be waiting for his attention.  
“Hey,” he says while scratching the back of his neck nervously, “this may sound really weird and if you're uncomfortable with it than you can say no.”  
Sasuke perk up, yet still a bit cautious, “Yeah?”  
“I live about two and a half blocks from here, you're more than welcome to come up if you need and figure out your next step. Like if someone can pick you up. I can even give you a ride.”  
The blush comes back more than full fledged this time, “u-umm..”, is all that Sasuke is able to make out at that moment and Naruto can see it on his face.  
“Yeah that totally sounded weird, I’m sorry if I creeped you out” He started to ramble nervously, only to be cut off.  
“No it’s ok, that’s actually, the best thing so far that I can think of.” He says adjusting his glasses and jacket. “Can we go now before it gets too late?”  
“Yeah sure! Follow me.” Finishing with a heart melting smile.  
Turned out that the restaurant didn’t carry any umbrellas, except one that was by the register that a customer had left there, and hadn’t come back for it. After Naruto gets the umbrella ready to step foot outside. As Sasuke was about to pull his jacket up to his ears.  
“There is more than enough room under here! Just stay close okay?” This made Sasuke’s heart stop. Literally. Being that close to him, he froze when he held his hand and almost had a heart attack. When he fell asleep so close to him today at work. All he could do was nod, because he did not trust my vocal cords at this moment.  
Yeah this was the best and the worst thing ever. they made it outside and he bundled up. The rain had made the air brisk and cold.  
“Ok, Let’s go. This way.” Naruto wraps his arm around Sasuke and grabs his forearm to hugs him close to him so that he is right up against Naruto’s side. “There you’ll be warmer and under the umbrella so you won’t get soaked.”  
All Sasuke is able to do is nod, which with the close proximity to Naruto, he practically rubs his face into Naruto’s jacketed arm, which, only makes Sasuke's blush deepen and try to find something else to look at. He watches the cars driving through the heavy rain, water splashing from the wheels splattering against parked cars beside them. The abundance of people walking through the streets with umbrellas keeping them clear of the imminent downpour from above. The ever changing colors of the car lights and the traffic signals. He had always, in a childish way found the visibility of my breath in cold weather incredibly interesting and distracting. Making small breaths and long sighs a burst of fog pools from his mouth into the air.  
“That has to be one of my favorite things about cold air,” he heard Naruto say as he felt him chuckle from the closeness. “I would pretend to be some kind of beast when I was little, like a dragon or something.”  
“Yeah.” Sasuke agreed quietly, Naruto then nudges him to get his attention, looking up at him he takes a large breath and lets it all out in one big cloud of fog that disappears in the air as the wind starts to hike up. Unintentionally Sasuke snuggles up closer to Naruto for more of his warmth.  
“We are almost there, just up this street.” Sasuke looks up only to see beautiful large windowed apartments. ‘What?’.  
A light switch is flipped and the home is illuminated. If Sasuke could have a house designed for myself to live in, this would be the place. There is a circle around a dark wood coffee table of cozy chairs and a couch. The kitchen is fit for the finest chef. But he don’t take Naruto for being the cooking type.  
“Here let me get your hoodie, I can throw it in the dryer for you? It will be done in about, 10 to 15 minutes then it will be all warm and dry.” He asks. Sasuke took a few milliseconds in his mind to know, he’d never had genuine people in my life. His mother and brother are an exception of course. But even in school he managed to get in with a, not so good crowd. Yeah they were smart, and their priorities about what they would do in the future were on point and took their school education very seriously. “So how are they bad?” A few of you may be asking.  
They had pessimistic outlooks on people and believed the same thing that Sasuke's father always believes. Work yourself to your highest point and you’ll unlock greatness. Those that can not take high pressure, fall to the bottom. When you’re around people like this. Your thoughts, change. You act, different. You start to grow the same thoughts and beliefs that they do. Which, is how you end up like Sasuke did a not that far back. Sanity hanging by a thread while you push your mind miles passed the breaking point. Eating slowly became less of a priority, and studying became more important than sleep.  
Luckily he had his brother to help him with this. Sasuke can say for certain that, without him, he wouldn’t be here. Right now. He wouldn’t have been working in the bookstore that he met Naruto. He wouldn’t be here, in his house.  
After he remembered all of this that he heard a finger snap in front of his face. Breaking him from his mulling thoughts.  
“You hear me,” he lets out a deep chuckle sending goosebumps to run down Sasuke’s neck, “I asked if you wanted anything to eat or drink?” Sasuke took a double take from where he was sitting back up to his eyes. A faint rumble was heard down the hall. Apparently in my brain conversing with itself, I had handed him my jacket and was now sitting at the bar staring into the kitchen.  
“u-umm,” ‘nice stutter’, “now that I think about it, something warm sound good. Sorry, it’s what I think about on rainy days like this”. Sasuke finish as he stared out the enormous slightly fogged windows that had a breathtaking view of the dark rain clouds and the city streets bustling in trails of red and white glowing lights.  
“You actually read my mind.” Sasuke quickly blink then turns his head to Naruto who has his forearms supporting him as he leans on the counter. “Times like this make me think about my mom, she used to make me homemade soup whenever it rained like this. Something about it is was so, comforting. Eating something warm on a cold day.”  
“Yeah,” Sasuke smiled to himself as he played with the bottom ends of his flannel, “my mom did the same for me.”  
“Must be a mom thing.” He chuckles again, “ok, soup it is. You mind some Miso Ramen?” His eyes close slightly as he smiles.  
“No that sounds perfect, but, the order might take a while to get here, given the traffic.” At this Naruto’s face scrunches as if trying to contain laughter but it breaks when I give a wide eyed confused face.  
“Sasuke, I’m cooking it.” A couple of throaty chuckles make their way out and it's making Sasuke fall even more for him. “It will take about 25 minutes, can you wait?” he asks, still giggling.  
“I-I’m sorry. I just didn’t peg you as a person that cooks really.”  
“No, its ok, really. No offense taken. My mother taught me at an early age. I also took several cooking classes through high school and into college”.  
Sasuke simply stared at him, everything he was saying to him was true, he knew it. After listening to his therapist multiple times telling him how he could tell he was hiding or lying proved it. ‘Can the floor just swallow me up?’ He just rests his arms on the counter and lays his head in them with his forehead and glasses uncomfortably against the marble. Which seems to only amuse Naruto more.  
“Sasuke, what are you doing?” he giggles out.  
“Waiting for the floor to swallow me up.” he muffles out to him.  
“Haha, really?” A moment later he feels a hand land on his head and attempt to ruffle Sasuke’s hair under his beanie.  
“Nooo.” Sasuke muffles pulling his blue beanie completely over his head in an attempt to hide. But, Naruto yanks it off. “noooo” Sasuke shouts, pulling his arms in to hide his face. Which is probably, bright pink. But he just lets out a sigh and Sasuke feels the hand on his head again ruffling his hair. “ugh, my hair's a mess today,” Sasuke continued to muffle, slowly revealing his eyes and tilted glasses. Sasuke’s breath catches in his lungs, Naruto is wearing his beanie. ‘God fucking dammit, why does this guy have to do this.’ He thinks as he looks in the mirror that is by the stove as he adjusts it so that his fringe hangs out in front and the back slouches. Pair that with his jean button up and those pants. ‘why, why me?’.  
“How do I look?” he asks while giving me a smirk.  
“Like someone that snagged my hat on my bad hair day.”  
“Sasuke your hair looks fine, the beanie actually made it really cool looking, one last touch.” he laughs, as he reaches over the counter and ruffles Sasuke’s hair in the back and a little on one side. “There, now thats the rocker look for you.” He smiles. “Oh! Let me get my apron and i’ll start food, sorry for drifting.” He finishes after he’s out of sight, to the hallway closet or something. Sasuke takes this time to pull out my phone and check his reflection in the glass screen. ‘Woah, he’s right.’ the hat had flattened the back of his hair. Which was now ruffled with it giving a really cool, almost as if he usually combed his hair to the front, mixed with his choppy bangs, glasses and outfit. Sasuke was looking awesome. He heard humming come out of the hallway closet and he continued to curse himself when Naruto returns. “Ok, sorry about that I get carried away sometimes. Just really sociable is all, I really enjoy conversation.”  
He finishes his sentence as he walks over to the fridge tying the apron on nice and fitted. He exchanged the denim button up for a plain black tee shirt that shows off his lean, fit figure. All while, still wearing Sasuke's beanie which just finishes the look. The cruel thing that Sasuke’s brain did to him is puts all the piercings that He saw in the bookshop and visualize them as if they were there. Does he know what he’s doing? He must know. All I know is that, I definitely, definitely crazy for this guy.


End file.
